Did Young Republicans Kill the Culture Wars?

There was an interesting article in the always fair and balanced NY Post look at young voters, partially Young Republicans, and how while they support lower taxes and more fiscally conservative policies, their view on the hot button social issues ranges from libertarian to indifference. This is a reason why in New Jersey and Massacusettes, “… old-guard liberals were recently replaced by Chris Christie and Scott Brown, libertarian-ish Republicans who are socially liberal but fiscally conservative.”

Actually, by “they” I should say “we” because I’m a Young Republican myself and find that in running with other YRs, while we’re united behind fiscal policy and (for the most part) foreign policy, socially we’re all over the place, Myself for example, while I’m Pro Life and think people should be allowed to responsibly own and carry fire arms, I also think gay people should have the legal right to make the same mistakes that straight people do, and with out being a “global warming alarmist” still think that pumping chemicals into the atmosphere is probably not a good thing.

And as the article shows, most youngins in general are scattered…

You know something is changing in American mores when the supposed leader of the culture wars from the right, Sarah Palin, declares that smoking pot is “a minimal problem” and that “if somebody’s gonna smoke a joint in their house and not do anybody any harm, then perhaps there are other things our cops should be looking at to engage in…”

Support for issues such as gays’ ability to adopt and marry appears closely linked to how close you are with gay people. And a CNN/Opinion Research poll last year said 49% report having a family member or close friend who is gay. That’s up eight points from 1998 and up 17 points from 1992. Among those 65 and older, just one in three say that…

A move toward a more libertarian America actually helps the NRA. Pew regularly polls Americans to ask which they find more important: the right to own guns, or gun control? In 2000, the split was 29% on the pistol-packing side and 66% shunning firearms. This spring a Pew poll showed a tie — 46% on each side. Only about half of Americans even support banning assault weapons, down from three-quarters 20 years ago. Moreover, a Rasmussen poll this week found 48% today see government as a threat to individual rights.

What does this mean for future elections and the candidates we choose, particularly in 2012? You tell me. That’s what the comment section is for.

That’s a pretty broad brush you’re painting with. Care to make any more ridiculous generalizations based on the actions of a small handful of people?

Infidelity and drug use among politicians isn’t a social conservative problem, its a power problem and it isn’t limited to conservatives. And the counter that its hypocritical for social conservatives to cheat on their wives or get caught with drugs just means that you secretly think that its ok for socially liberal politicians to cheat on their wives and do drugs – quite a progressive and enlightened position.